Releasing means for car-couplings.



J.' W. POIZEY.

BELEASING MEANS POR GAR COUPLINGS.

` APPLIOATIORTILED JULY 11, 1910.

Palented July 25, 1911.

M252 es@ e6 u/ J. W. FOIZEY. RELEASING MEANS EUR GAB COUPLINGS.

4urnnuwmu: rum JULY 11, mo, v 999,021 L Pabentd July 25,1911

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mense-6.6,' ZI-zwelyr JAMES W. FOIZEY, OF NEHPGRT NEXVS, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T EDW'IN' IVINHOE FORD, OF NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA.

RELEASING MEANS FOR CALCOUPLINGS.

concer.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25', i911- To ali whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jau-es lV. Foizur, a citizen of the Unite/.l States, residing at Newport News, in the count-y of lVai-vficl and State of Virginia, 'have invented non' and useful Improvements in Releasing Means for Car-Couplers, of which the ollowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in releasing means for car couplers and more especially to the type employing a release rod `which is operatively connected atits inner end to the coupling pin and extends to and is operable from one or both sides of the ear, and it has for its object' to provide simple and improved constructions for the release rod and the means for, conneeting it to the coupling pin whereby such connection will be maintained in proper o order under ordinary service conditions without liability of becoming detached but which, when manipulated in a certain manner by a workman, may be readily disconnected and connected for the purposes of repair or otherwise, the present invention avoiding the necessity of using the usual devis, pin and Cotter key which have been found troublesome' to railroads owing to liability of the. Cotter pin becoming detached 3o and thereby rendering the releasing means inoperative.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, and com binations and arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter' more fully described,

the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the Specification.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of a car equipped with coupler releasing means constructed in accordance with my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are detailed views showing on an enlarged scale-the inner end of the release rod and the operative connection between the release rod and the coupling pin; Figs. 4, 5 and G are diagrammatic views showing the manner in which the connect-ion may be manipulated with respeci; to the release rod so as to disengage such parts; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another form of the invention; Fig. S 1s a view of the parts shown in Fig. 7, the head,

" however, being presented edgevvise' and illustrating the manner in which the connection may be manipulated to detach it. from the release rod; and Fig. 9 represents a detail sectional view through the head en the. release rod es shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Similar arts are designated by the same reference c aracters in the severalviews. 9 In the accompanying drawing, I have shown coupler releasing means which is adapted to be used in connection with the ordinary or standard couplers and, in the present instance, I have shown a. release rod 1. which may be mounted in a suitable manner upon the-ear, it being shown in the present instance as mounted upon the top of l the ear end sill 2 by bearings 3, the release rod having a. handle 4 at the side oi the car whereby the coupler may be released without the necessity of the operator entering between the cars. The present invention is adapted for use in connection with any form of coupler using a pin, the coupler 5 shown in the present instance being of the ordinaryY type and having the usual vertically movable pin 6 which locks and unlocks the usual knuckle 7. Y

In thatforni ot the invention shown in Figs. 1-6 inclusive, the -arm or crank 8 which is formed on the'inner end of the re- 'lease rod l projects to n 'position above the pin of the coupler. lhisarm is provided with a. downward bend or offset. 9 which forms a seat. in which the connecting means for the coupler pin rests normally, and the end of the arm S is provided with a head 10 which in this form of the invention embodies a cross bar which extends transverse to the length of the arm 8 and it projects from the opposite sides thereof. Preferably, this bar projects equdistantly from the opposite sides of the arm 8. The means for connecting the arm on the release rod to the coupling pin consists according to the present invention of a loop or link 11 which normally hangs or is suspended in the downward bend or depression 9 of the arm- 8, and a hook 12 is non-detachably connected to the link 11 preferably by an eye 13, and the hook is detachably engaged in the eye or o ening 14 which is formed in the pit; coup er. The length of the bill 15 of the hook is such that the hook cannot lisengage from the coupling pin when any ordinary amount of slack occurs in the con-` on the release rod upwardly, the arm 8 beln'br thereby lifted, and this movement, will be transmitted to the link 11 and the hookl 12, the latter operating to lift the coupling pin. When the release rod returns to its normal position, the tension on the link 11 and hook 151 is relieved and Idie pin of the con iler may dropinto its normal locking position. While some considerable slack may occur between the arin 8 and the parts 11 and 1Q, the link 11 cannot become disengaged from the end of the arm 8 for the reason that the weight of the hook 1&2 and the coupling pin serves to automatically retain the link lit in such a position thatI its major or longer axis is vertical, this link being preferably elongated or flattened in one direct-ion. In order toA provide for the detachment of the link 11 from the arm 8,

a. certain portion of the eye 13 of the hook (preferably the top thereof) is cut away or reduced in size as at 1G. Byelirst disengaging the hook 12 from the coupling pin, the hook 1'2 is swung into an approximately horizontal position as shown in Fig. al., the link 11 being, thereby carried into a position that will bring its longer diameter substantially parallel with the cross piece- 10 on the arm andthe flattened red :iced or cutaway portion 16 formed on the c ye 13 of the hook will be. presented to one end of the cross piece. 10. This cross piece is ot' such a length thatitv will just allow that end of the link 1l to which the hook attached to pass over Olie of its ends when the llattened portion 1G olt the hook is presented to such end ot' the cross piece, and the linal movement. to disengape the link and hook may then be accomplished as shown in Fig. G. Unless, however, the hook is supported in a horizontal position or substantialltY so, a. disengagement lnetween the link l1 and the arm S cannot tal-:r place for the reason that. the renminder of the eye 125 on the hook is of such a thickness or size as to prevent; its passing either end of the en s piece l0. Therefore, accidental disco. 'ement hetween the link lt and cross pit-ye l() cannot take place, as the force of gravity will tend to retain the hook in a vertical position and it, is practically impossible to disengage the parts unless they ar'.- manipulated manually.

In thatform of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and S, the arm 8 on the release rod is preferably provided as in the previous inslancil with a rlo\\'11\\'ar lly bent or depressed portion 17 to normally form a seal, for thil link 1S which suspends the hook 19, the lathr as in the, prtnions instance being adapted to directly engage the rye in the coupling pin. 'ihe end of the arm 8, however, is provided with a lateral enlargement of a somewhat different'. form, the material forming the arm 8 being bent into substantiallyY the form of an eye or loop 20. This eye or loop 20 has a. lateral dimension which 7e is greater than the narrow diameter of thi elongated or flattened link 18 although it. has

a dimension somewhat less than the longer diameter of the link 18. Normally, the

weight of the hook 19, the couplinlf,r pin and the link 18 will retain the linl-v 1S 1n the depression 17 and the longer diameter of the link 1S will be retained in a vertical position so that. it will be impossible for the link 18 to slip over the eye or loop 20. When, however, itis necessary or desirable to detach the link 18 from the arm 8 ot the release rod, the link 1S is turned by manual manipulation so as to bring its longer diameter into a horizontal position, and in order to permit the link and the hook attached to it to pass over the eye or loop 20, one of the parts is pre vided with a reduced portion to receive and register with the other part. ln the present instance, the under side of the. eye or loop 20 9o is formed wit-h recesses Q1 and 22 which are diametrically disposed and are adapted to receive the top of the eye which connects the hook 19 to the link 18. By turning thev link 18 into a. position that will bringt its longer diameter into a horizontal position and by placing the eye Q3 of the hook 19 cent1-allg.T beneath the eye or loop 20, the top o the eye :'23 on the hook will register with and pass through the recesses 2l and '22 on the eye and in this manner, 'the link 18 can be. readily detached from the release rod.

The link and hook may be replaced in a similar way. Obviously, it will be practicall)T in'ipossiole for the link and hook to assume such a, posit-ion with respect to t-he eye on the release rodas to permit. such parte to be accidentally disengaged.

I claim as my invention y 1. The combination of an elongate-d link, a release rod having,T an arm provided with a laterally enlarged head engaging said link. and a coupling pin commuting member having an eye also engaging said link, :said eye being coperatire with id head lock the link thereto, one of said linken; im: parte having' a reduced portion adapted to be presented to the other of said linken raging parts to permit, dislnigagement, of the link from said head when said link is moi-cd to an abnormal position.

2. The combination of a release rod 'naving. :in arm provided with laterally enlarged head portions which project. laterally to opposite sides of said arm. and means for detachably connect-ingI said arm to a coupling pin embodying an elongated link coperative with said arm, and a coupling pin en- 'fafring hook having in eye engaging said h u link. the lonmtndmal distance between one end of the link and the eye at the opposite l enlarged head when the hook and link are '10 end thereof being less, when the coupling 1 placed in a substantially lioriion'ml position.

pin engaging hook. extends at :m angle to l In testimony whereof I have. hereunto set the link` than the distance between said arm my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 1 :1nd the end of either head portion, the iop nesses.

of said eye having a reduced portion which when presened to the end of one of said lVitnees: head portions Will permit the eye of the hook and 'che link to pass over saidl laterally JAMES Vi. FOIZEY.

J. H. Coon, H. F.' PARKER. 

